Washboard.



. Patented Sept. l2, I899.- C. W. KENNON. V

WASHBOARD.

(Application filed Dec. 12, 1898.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR zmwmzwzwg A Home uonms mews 00.. wom-Lrma, wAsm Erica,

CHARLES \V. KENNON, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

WASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,011, dated September 12, 1899. Application filed Decemher lZ, 1898. Serial No. 898,974. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WV. KENNON, of Tampa, county of Ilillsborough, State of Florida, have invented certain Improvements in \Vashboards, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washboard embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line a: a; of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse section in the direction of the line 3 'y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents one of the blocks, enlarged, which form the rubbing-surface, with a rubber cushion applied at each end. Fig. 5 represents in plan such block, on a reduced scale, with the addition of a rubber cushion at its top.

This invention relates to devices employed in washing or laundering clothes; and my present invention consists in a rubbing-surface comprising a series of corrugated blocks, of peculiar form, of palmetto, palmaceze, or other wood of similarly-disposed elastic fibers, arranged substantially at right angles to the rubbing-surface; and, in combination with said novel-formed blocks, my invention consists in a provision for enabling them to com pensate for the usual expansion and contraction due to rubbing-surfaces when changed from a wet to a dry state, and vice-versa, the details of my invention being hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

In Figs. 1 2, and 3 of the said drawings, a represents the back; I) b, the grooved side pieces or legs; 0, the splash-guard or protector; cl, a flat board extending from the same to a point a little below and underneath the back board a, which, with an upper cross-bar 9, forms an ordinary soap-rest. h is a lower cross-bar. All of the parts a l) l) c d e it so far enumerated are of well-known construction.

"i is a thin cross-piece placed under the joint formed between the upper transverse bar 6 and a continuous strip Z, which, with other similar strips Z Z, extend across the board, one being located above each transverse row of corrugated blocks it n, which form the rubbin g-su rface of the washboard. The material of which the blocks are composed is palmetto or other species of palm or wood of similar structure having tough and wiry fibers surrounded by a soft, punky, or pithy substance which when removed a short distance from the rubbing end of the fibers endows them with a resilient property peculiarly favorable for the duty they have to perform, and the blocks forming the rubbing-surface are so cut and arranged that the direction of the fibers is substantially at right angles thereto. Between the inner ends of two contiguous blocks 02 n of the same transverse row is located a rubber strip p, and at the outer end of each block a similar rubber strip 1) is interposed between it and the adjacent grooved leg I), the said outer end being planed down smooth to reduce its thickness sufficiently to snugly enter the groove 10 therein. Two corrugated blocks or n, with the central rubber strip 19 and thosep' interposed between their outer ends and their respective grooved legs Z) l), are included in and form one transverse row across the board. The back of each corrugated block is flat and planed smooth and has a firm bearing on the back board a. The function of the rubber cushions p p p is by their expansion to compensate for the shrinkage of the blocks in a transverse direction from the wet to the drystate of the board, these cushions being compressed by the pressure against them of the ends of the blocks when the latter expand from the dry to the wet state. The variation in the Width of the blocks-11 (2., in the direction of the length of the board-is quite slight; but to provide for the variation in this direction I may employ strips of rubber 19 similar to those 19 1), one such strip being sufficient for each block at its top or bottom, such provision being shown in Fig. 5.

The manner of treating, manipulating, and arranging the material which constitutes the rubbing-surface of the board will now be described.

The wood preferably employed is the cabbage palmetto or other analogous structure of palmaceze or other woods in which there exists a series of elastic fibers having a soft punky or pithy substance interposed between them, the blocks to form the rubbing-surface being so cut that the direction of these fibers is substantially at right angles thereto.

An embodiment of my said method includes, viz., first, cutting the log, trimming or shaping it into lengths of from ten to twelve feet and six inches square in cross-section; next, while green, sawing the same into five-foot lengths and into blocks one and seven-eighths inches thick, the width remaining six inches. Then, while still green, the punky filling between the fibers is removed to the depth of three-sixteenths of an inch by a hackling or combing machine run at a high rate of speed back and forth across a frame of case-hardened spikes, the blocks of the size last referred to being placed in a holder, While the rapidlymoving machine acts upon both sides of each block and simultaneously removes the pithy substance from each to the depth desired. The blocks are now placed on end in racks with a partition between adjacent cells or compartments, one block only being located in a cell, this arrangement being desirable on account of the freer circulation of air around the blocks, and after submitting them for sixty to seventy days to this drying action each block receives a series of longitudinal corrugations by a suitable groovingtool. Next the block is carefully reduced in width, so as to measure five and one-half inches by a trifle less than one and seven-eighths inches. Next, one end of each blockz'. e., the end intended to be the outer end, which is to be located in the groove of the adj acent legis planed down to measure a little less than one-half inch in thickness and about one-half inch in width. (See Fig. 4.) Each block is now divided into two equal parts or halves, the front side of each half being the corrugated or rubbing surface and the back side being the fiat surface intended to be seated on the back board a. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) Next the rubber cushions p p p are tacked to the blocks.

The parts of the washboard are preferably assembled and secured together as follows: The two grooved legs I) b are put in an adjustable clamp or press. Then the lower cross-v bar h is slid down to the bottoms of the grooves 10, when the back board a is also slid down insaid grooves till it abuts against the said cross-bar, and the two corrugated blocks to form the lower transverse row or section, with the elastic strips 19 p p put in place, as previously described, are located upon the back board a, and, with their outer ends within the grooves, are brought snugly down against the cross-bar h. Next the transverse strip Z is placed upon and tacked to the tops of the two lower blocks, this being repeated till the upper row or section of blocks is in position, after which the upper crossbar e is placed and secured thereon. Pressure being applied upon the upper cross-bar the several parts are brought to a firm bearing and properly seated and are held in this position by screws or nails passing through the outside of the legs into the upper and lower cross-bars e 71. These parts thus assembled and secured together are now removed from the clamp, the transverse piece i located, and the splash-guard c secured to the tops of the legs b b, which completes the construction of the washboard.

I claim 1. As an improvement in washboards, a

rubbing-surface comprising a series of corrugated blocks 41 n of wood of elastic fiber disposed substantially at right angles to said surface, and arranged in pairs transversely, each of said blocks being flattened at its back, and reduced in thickness at its outer end, elastic strips applied to its exterior, stripsZ Z Z extending across the board and above each pair of blocks, an upper cross-bar e, a lower cross-bar h, a pair of grooved side pieces or legs 6 b, a back board a for the fiat under sides of the blocks to bear on, asplash-board c and a flat board cZ extending down from the same and connecting the grooved legs, the

herein-named instrumentalities being constructed and arranged to cooperate substantially as described.

2. As an improvement in washboards, a rubbing-surface composed of a series of cor rugated blocks n n of wood of elastic fiber disposed substantially at right angles to said surface and located in pairs in a transverse direction, each block being flattened at its back and reduced in thickness at its outer end, an elastic strip 19 at its inner end, an elastic strip 19 at its outer end, an elastic strip 10 at the top of the block, wooden strips Z Z Z extending across the board and above each pair of blocks, an upper cross-bar.e,a lower cross-bar h, a cross-piece '7; under the joint formed between the upper cross-bar e and the contiguous strip Z, a pair of grooved legs b b, a back board a for the blocks to bear on, a splash-guard c and a fiat board cZ extending from the same and between and connecting said legs I) b, all constructed to operate substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 26th day of November, 1898.

CHARLES W. KENN ON.

In presence of- G. H. SYMMES, J12, G. E. ALLEN. 

